DOB: 5 March 1996
MFC Debut: Round 1, 2018 vs Geelong at MCG
From: Romsey/Calder Cannons/Adelaide, trade with 2017 National Draft selection #38 and 2018 National Draft third round selection for 2017 selection #10 and 2018 first and fourth round selections.
Number: 8 (2018-)
Honours:
All Australian - 2021 (defender)
Premiership player - 2021
Games: 122* (178 total to end 2024)
Goals: 2* (5 total)
Career statistics
Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
74 | 1 | 47 | 60.65 |
The All Australian defender was lured to Melbourne at the end of 2017 after playing in Adelaide's losing Grand Final side. After a nervy start with his new club, Lever had settled into the Melbourne defence when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Round 11, 2018. He returned in Round 12, 2019 but knee bruising saw him out again until Round 17 before playing the rest of the season.
Throughout the COVID interrupted 2020 season, Lever and Steven May became a formidible defensive combination. The next year they led the best backline in the competition, conceding the fewest points and helping Melbourne to finish top of the ladder. He was named All Australian again, and played in the premiership team.
Lever had a delayed start to 2022, suffering a foot injury on the weekend before Round 1. He was a late withdrawal from the side for the opening round of the season and didn't play until Round 4. He wasn't as influential in the Demon defence as the previous year, missing back-to-back All Australian selection, but did kick his first goal for the club in Round 23, after 78 career games, one of the longest goalless streaks in club history.
Before the first final of 2023, Lever signed a four year extension to stay at the club until 2028.
Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
2018 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
2019 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
2020 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
2021 | 25 | 0 | 5 |
2022 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
2023 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
2024 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
Tribunal record
Round | Charge | Sanction | |
Round 2, 2024 | Misconduct | $1250 fine |
Lists
Adelaide
Games Without A Goal
Media
melbournefc.com.au - 04/09/2023
Links
Australian Football profile
Crows History Locker
Demonwiki image gallery
Draftguru profile
Wikipedia profile